Lance Armstrong has officially lost his seven Tour de France titles and all of his other results after July 1998. The UCI informed him that the disqualifications were now in force, and he has three weeks to appeal that decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

“Lance Armstrong’s lawyer was notified on 6th December that all his results since 1st August 1998 were nullified. He has 21 days to appeal,” UCI spokesman Enrico Carpani told the Reuters news agency.

The UCI action stems from the USADA anti-doping investigation of Armstrong, which ended with a lifetime ban for the American. It ruled that he had been involved in the “most sophisticated, professionalized and successful doping program that sport has ever seen”.

“The IOC today will not move because we need to have the situation whereby the UCI notifies officially Mr Armstrong of the fact that he will be disqualified and declared ineligible and that he should hand over his medal,” IOC President Jacques Rogge said on December 5.

“When he will be notified Mr Armstrong will have 21 days to launch an appeal. It is only after that period that the IOC can legally take action.”

Armstrong has consistently denied doping, and taken very little action concerning the USADA investigation. His attorneys made filings over the summer challenging the USADA's jurisdiction, which a federal court denied. Armstrong announced the end of August that he would not challenge the case, which led to his ban and the stripping of the Tour de France titles and results.